This is So Long, Not Goodbye
by Meisteri
Summary: Deathfic/one-shot. Twenty years later, Luke receives a letter, telling him that the Professor was dead. He meets up with Clive and Flora and stood before his grave.


**This came into mind as I listened to this song: www. youtube watch?v=PybO_yUoQX4&feature=relmfu (remove the spaces)**

**Kind of depressing. Just needed to get it off my mind.**

**Reminder: I do not own Professor Layton and Co. Nor the music in the link.**

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><p>It has been twenty years. A long time since I last saw the Professor. Though miles apart, we remained best friends through letters. I had graduated college some time ago. I may not be an archaeologist like the Professor but I was a successful veterinarian. I had a wonderful family and life was perfect. Until one day, the Professor stopped writing back. I wondered why and soon found out the answer by a letter from Flora and Clive.<p>

"_Dear Luke,_

_It has been a very long time since we all last saw each other. And we know this may sound sudden…but Professor Layton had just died a few days ago. We're sorry we couldn't inform you earlier as we were busy for the funeral. We're really sorry. I'm sure you would want to pay his grave a visit so in this letter are the directions. If you can, please come here any day this week. We have something that the Professor wanted to give you but he said that we should give it personally. There's also our number here wherein you can call us if you're there already. We're really sorry for the late news…_

_Sincerely,_

_Flora and Clive "_

I was shocked by the news…Professor Layton, my mentor and best friend…dead…I couldn't simply believe it. He was a strong man…Heck, he was a gentleman! He was kind, generous, helpful to others…He couldn't simply disappear like that. Like…thin air.

But here I am now… In front of his grave. Etched on the gravestone was a top hat and the words, "_Here lies Hershel Layton. A great archaeology professor and brilliant puzzle solver. May you rest in peace."_ I was wearing almost the same clothes as Clive when he was pretending to be the future me…And I wore my blue hat, too, the one I wore during all of those adventures with him. I didn't want to wear black. It was too…depressing…

Soon, Flora and Clive arrived. Clive looked a less lot like me and Flora looked like a graceful lady. Clive had discarded the blue hat he used to wear and now wore a brown version of his old clothes. Flora was in an orange dress, almost like what she wore before yet she looked different.

"Long time, no see…Luke." Flora greeted and gave a sad smile.

"Long time, no see." I greeted back, but only glanced at them. I returned my attention back to the grave before me. "He really is gone now, is he?" I whispered. I felt a hand over my shoulder.

"He isn't gone. As long as we remember him, he's with us. That's what he told us. So keep that in mind, Little Luke." Clive said, making me smile a bit.

"I'm certainly not little anymore." I replied. It was true. Last time we saw each other, he was a lot taller than me. Now, I'm almost the same height as he is.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Flora said as she took something out of the small shoulder bag she was carrying. It was a small brown book. "Here. This was the thing the Professor wanted to give you." She said.

I took it from Flora and looked at it. It was the Professor's journal. He took it with his travels and wrote his thoughts in it in every adventure that we had. Before I could say anything, Clive spoke up.

"I think we best be going now, Luke. We still have to clean some things up." he said.

"Oh right!" Flora said, looking like she remembered something. "I guess we do need to go now."

"Alright then. So long, Clive. Flora." I said and nodded at them.

"Take care, Luke." Flora said and smiled at me.

"Both of you, too." I said and smiled back. Soon, I was alone again. The wind blew gently as I looked at the Professor's grave then at his journal. I opened it and skimmed through the pages. I was a bit surprised as I stumbled upon a drawing of me, Flora and the Professor. An old drawing of mine, to be exact. I smiled at the sight and looked at the picture. Then, I noticed something was written at the back.

"_Luke,_

_I know that by the time you read this, I will be gone. Also, I know that by that time, you have become a true gentleman. I'm both proud and happy that you became my apprentice. Not only did I had someone to mentor, I also gained a best friend. Never forget what I taught you. And never forget, every puzzle has an answer. Our times together, not only our adventures, had become one of my most cherished memories. I hope you treasure those memories as well. Also remember, you will always be my number one apprentice and my best friend no matter how far apart we are._

_Your mentor and best friend,_

_Professor Layton_

_P.S. This is so long…not goodbye."_

I felt my heart ache as I read the letter. I wished I was here before he died. To tell him how much I was grateful for his teachings…the adventures…everything. I smiled a little as I read the last line. "Yes, Professor…This is so long…not goodbye." I muttered as I let a tear roll down my cheek. I was happy to know that we are best friends…no matter how distant we are now. Before I left, I took off my blue hat and put it on his grave.

"A token of gratitude…and a token of friendship…"I said and left. Before I got far, I glanced back at the grave, now at a distance…and saw a butterfly land on my hat. I had a smile on my face as I left the place. Only one thing was on my mind.

_So long, Professor Layton...And Thank you...for everything..._


End file.
